fBV 

.  J4 


UC-NRLF 


*B    215    fi?3 


■ 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

University  of  California. 


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GIFT  OF 


Class 


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*i 


53 


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to 


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£&-#£• 


J^V^I  "" 


HYMNS 


BY 


SAMUEL   JOHNSON 


or  r 
VNIVEJ 


Andover,   Mass. 

TUB    ANDOVBR    PRESS 

1899 


tfy  Conflict 
of&iffe  :  ♦  » 

QNWARD,  onward,  though  the  region 
Where  thou  art  be  drear  and  lone ; 
God  hath  set  a  guardian  legion 
Very  near  thee, —  press  thou  on  ! 

Upward,  upward !  Their  Hosanna 
Rolleth  o'er  thee,  "God  is  Love!" 

All  around  thy  red-cross  banner 
Streams  the  radiance  from  above. 


Cfye  Conflict  of  £tfe 

By  the  thorn-road,  and  none  other, 
Is  the  mount  of  vision  won ; 

Tread  it  without  shrinking,  brother ! 
Jesus  trod  it, — press  thou  on! 

By  thy  trustful,  calm  endeavor, 
Guiding,  cheering,  like  the  sun, 

Earth-bound  hearts  thou  shalt  deliver, 
O,  for  their  sake,  press  thou  on ! 

6 


£i?e  Conflict  of  £tfe 

Be  this  world  the  wiser,  stronger, 
For  thy  life  of  pain  and  peace  ; 

While  it  needs  thee,  O,  no  longer 
Pray  thou  for  thy  quick  release ; 

Pray  thou,  undisheartened,  rather, 
That  thou  be  a  faithful  son ; 

By  the  prayer  of  Jesus, — "  Father, 
Not  my  will,  but  Thine,  be  done !  " 


tfyt  (Reformer'* 

(tfoto    ♦    ♦    ♦    ♦ 

/J^OD  of  the  earnest  heart, 
The  trust  assured  and  still, 
Thou,  who  our  strength  forever  art,- 
We  come  to  do  Thy  will ! 


Upon  that  painful  road 

By  saints  serenely  trod, 
Whereon  their  hallowing  influence  flowed 

Would  we  go  forth,  O  God ! 


tEfye  Reformer's  Vow 

Gainst  doubt  and  shame  and  fear 

In  human  hearts  to  strive, 
That  all  may  learn  to  love  and  bear, 

To  conquer  self,  and  live ; 

To  draw  Thy  blessing  down, 
And  bring  the  wronged  redress, 

And  give  this  glorious  world  its  crown, 
The  spirit's  Godlikeness. 


Cfye  Reformer's  Vow 

No  dreams  from  toil  to  charm, 
No  trembling  on  the  tongue, — 

Lord,  in  Thy  rest  may  we  be  calm, 
Through  Thy  completeness,  strong ! 

Thou  hearest  while  we  pray ; 

O  deep  within  us  write, 
With  kindling  power,  our  God,  today, 

Thy  word,—  "  On  earth  be  light ! " 


Solution . . 

IFE  of  Ages,  richly  poured, 

Soul  of  Worlds,  unspent  and  free, 
Nature's  uncreated  Word, 
Atom  and  Infinity ! 

Secret  of  the  morning  stars, 
Motion  of  the  oldest  hours, 

Pledge  through  elemental  wars 
Of  the  coming  spirit's  powers! 

ii 


(gpolutton 

Rolling  planet,  flaming  sun, 
Stand  in  nobler  man  complete ; 

Prescient  laws  Thine  errands  run, 
Frame  a  shrine  for  Godhead  meet. 

Homeward  led,  his  wondering  eye 
Upward  yearned,  in  joy  or  awe, 

Found  the  love  that  waited  nigh, 
Guidance  of  Thy  guardian  Law. 


(£polutton 

In  the  touch  of  earth  it  thrilled ; 

Down  from  mystic  skies  it  burned ; 
Right  obeyed  and  passion  stilled 

Its  eternal  gladness  earned. 

Still  the  immortal  flame  upspeeds, 

Kindling  worlds  to  pure  desire ; 
Where  the  unerring  Spirit  leads, 
Ages  wonder  and  aspire. 

13 


Znsyix&tion 

IFE  of  Ages,  richly  poured, 

Love  of  God,  unspent  and  free, 
Flowing  in  the  Prophet's  word 
And  the  People's  liberty! 


Never  was  to  chosen  race 

That  unstinted  tide  confined  ; 

Thine  is  every  time  and  place, 

Fountain  sweet  of  heart  and  mind  I 

14 


inspiration 

Breathing  in  the  thinker's  creed, 

Pulsing  in  the  hero's  blood, 
Nerving  simplest  thought  and  deed, 

Freshening  time  with  truth  and  good, 


Consecrating  art  and  song, 
Holy  book  and  pilgrim  track, 

Hurling  floods  of  tyrant  wrong 
From  the  sacred  limits  back, — 

15 


3nspiratton 

Life  of  Ages,  richly  poured, 
Love  of  God,  unspent  and  free, 

Flow  still  in  the  Prophet's  word 
And  the  People's  liberty! 


16 


3n  &\mt  of 
Ito&v  *  .  . 

ORD,  once   our   faith  in    man    no  fear 
could  move; 

Now  save  it  from  despair! 

The  trial  comes ;  strengthen  the  might 
of  love ; 

Father,  Thou  hearest  prayer ! 

Thou  hearest;  and  we  hear,  above  this  din. 
Thy  blessed  word  sound  clear : 

"  I  purge  this  land  from  slavery  and  sin ; 
The  reign  of  heaven  draws  near." 

17 


{JN,V£HBiy 


3n  Cime  of  VOav 

O,  never  falter,  ye  who  strive  to  bring 

In  men  the  heavenly  birth ; 
For  still  the  angel  hosts  unfaltering  sing, 

"  Peace  to  the  weary  earth !  " 

O,  never  falter !  peace  must  come  by  pain ; 

Heaven  is  not  found,  but  won ; 
Hold  the  dark  angel  till  he  moulds  again 

The  peace  he  hath  undone. 

18 


3n  Ctme  of  VOat 

We   know   not,   Lord,   what   storms   and 
trials  strong 

Must  work  our  world's  new  birth; 

But  we  will  toil,  with  this  for    working- 
song,— 

"  Peace  to  the  weary  earth  !  " 

Peace  to  the   weary,  struggling,   sin-sick 
earth ! 

Peace  to  the  heart  of  man ! 

Storm  shall  bring  calm ;  that  high  reward 
is  worth 

All  we  must  bear,  or  can. 
19 


Tttorfl  .... 


^HOU,  whose  glad  summer  yields 
Fit  increase  of  the  spring, 
In  faith  we  sow  these  living  fields, 
Bless  Thou  the  harvesting ! 


Thy  Church  must  lead  aright 
Life's  work,  left  all  undone, 

Till  founded  fast  in  love  and  light, 
Earth  home  to  heaven  be  won. 


Ctje  Cfyurcfy's  XDork 

Grant,  then,  Thy  servants,  Lord, 
F.esh  strength  from  hour  to  hour; 

Through  speech  and  deed  the  living  word 
Find  utterance  with  power, 

To  keep  the  child's  faith  bright, 
To  strengthen  manhood's  truth, 

And  set  the  age-dimmed  eye  alight 
With  heaven's  eternal  youth ! 

21 


£t?e  (Efyurcfy's  VOotk 

That  in  the  time's  stern  strife, 
With  saints  we  speed  reform, 

Unresting  in  the  calm  of  life, 
Unshrinking  in  its  storm. 


©eMcafton  of  a 
Cfyayd 

'T^O  Light,  that  shines  in  stars  and  souls ; 

^^  To  Law,  that  rounds  the  world  with  calm ; 

To  Love,  whose  equal  triumph  rolls 

Through  martyr's  prayer  and  angel's  psalm, 
We  wed  these  walls  with  unseen  bands, 
In  holier  shrines  not  built  with  hands. 

May  purer  sacrament  be  here 

Than  ever  dwelt  in  rite  or  creed, — 
Hallowed  the  hour  with  vow  sincere 
To  serve  the  time's  all-pressing  need, 
And  rear,  its  heaving  sea  above, 
Strongholds  of  Freedom,  folds  of  Love. 


23 


£)ebtcatton  of  a  Cfyapel 

Here  be  the  wanderer  homeward  led ; 

Here  living  streams  in  fullness  flow ; 
And  every  hungering  soul  be  fed, 

That  yearns  the  Eternal  Will  to  know; 
Here  conscience  hurl  her  stern  reply 
To  mammon's  lust  and  slavery's  lie. 

Speak,  Living  God,  Thy  full  command 

Through  prayer  of  faith  and  word  of  powrer, 
That  we  with  girded  loins  may  stand 
To  do  Thy  work  and  wait  Thine  hour, 
And  sow,  'mid  patient  toils  and  tears, 
For  harvests  in  serener  years. 

24 


^ufferin^ 


BLESS  Thee,  Lord,  for  sorrows  sent 
To  break  my  dream  of  human  power ; 
For  now  my  shallow  cistern's  spent, 
I  find  Thy  founts,  and  thirst  no  more. 

I  take  Thy  hand,  and  fears  grow  still; 

Behold  Thy  face,  and  doubts  remove ; 
Who  would  not  yield  his  wavering  will 

To  perfect  Truth,  and  boundless  Love  ? 

25 


VTiabc  perfect  tEfyrougfy  Suffering 

That  Love  this  restless  soul  doth  teach 
The  strength  of  Thine  eternal  calm ; 

And  tune  its  sad  and  broken  speech, 
To  join,  on  earth,  the  angels'  psalm. 

O  be  it  patient  in  Thy  hands, 

And  drawn,  through  each  mysterious  hour, 
To  service  of  Thy  pure  commands, 

The  narrow  way  to  Love  and  Power. 

26 


€§t  Qpoitftt  of 


•     •    •     • 


CJTRONG-SOULED   Reformer,  whose  far- 
seeing  faith 

Of  lifted  cry  and  tumult  had  no  need, — 

Who  stay 'dst  the  lightnings  of  Thy  holy 
wrath 

With  pitying  love,  to  spare  the  bruised  reed, — 

Thy  will  to  save,  Thy  strength  to  conquer, 
flowed 

From  seas  of  tenderness  and  might  in  God. 


27 


Cfye  potr>er  of  3^us 

Thy  living  word  sprang  from  the  heart  of  Man, 

Eternal  word  of  love  and  liberty : 

Fearless  thou  gav'st  it  to  the  winds  again  ; 

'Twas  Manhood's  native  tongue,  and  could 
not  die. 

To  thy  dear  brotherhood  life's  pulses  leap ; 

And  wakening  ages  answer,  deep  to  deep. 


28 


City  of  gob 

£*ITY  of  God,  how  broad  and  far 

Outspread  thy  walls  sublime ! 
The  true  thy  chartered  freemen  are, 
Of  every  age  and  clime  — 

One  holy  Church,  one  army  strong, 
One  steadfast  high  intent, 

One  working  band,  one  harvest-song, 
One  King  Omnipotent ! 

29 


(£ity  of  (gob 

How  purely  hath  thy  speech  come  down 

From  mans  primeval  youth  ! 
How  grandly  hath  thine  empire  grown 

Of  Freedom,  Love,  and  Truth ! 

How  gleam  thy  watchfires  through  the  night, 

With  never  fainting  ray  ! 
How  rise  thy  towers,  serene  and  bright, 

To  meet  the  dawning  day ! 

30 


Citg  of  (Sob 

In  vain  the  surge's  angry  shock, 
In  vain  the  drifting  sands ; 

Unharmed,  upon  the  Eternal  Rock, 
The  Eternal  City  stands. 


31 


Jot  ©iirine  $tttn$t§ 

"C^ATHER,  in    Thy  mysterious   presence 
■*■  kneeling, 

Fain  would  our  souls  feel  all  Thy  kindling 
love ; 
For  we  are  weak,  and  need  some  deep  revealing 
Of  Trust,  and  Strength,  and  Calmness  from 
above. 


Lord,  we  have  wandered  forth  through  doubt 
and  sorrow, 
And  Thou  hast  made  each  step  an  onward 
one; 
And  we  will  ever  trust  each  unknown  morrow, 
Thou  wilt  sustain  us  till  its  work  is  done. 


32 


^or  DtPtne  Strength 

In  the  heart's  depths  a  peace  serene  and  holy 
Abides,  and  when  pain  seems  to  have  its 
will, 

Or  we  despair, — O,  may  that  peace  rise  slowly, 
Stronger  than  agony,  and  we  be  still ! 

Now,  Father,  now,  in    Thy   dear   presence 
kneeling, 
Our  spirits  yearn  to  feel  Thy  kindling  love ; 
Now   make  us   strong,  we  need  Thy  deep 
revealing 
Of  Trust,  and  Strength,  and  Calmness  from 
above. 


33 


T^HE  Will  Divine  that  woke  a  waiting  time 

With  desert  cry  and  Calvary's  cross  sub- 
lime, 

Had  equal  need  on  thee  its  power  to  prove, 

Thou  soul  of  passionate  zeal  and  tenderest  love. 

O  slave  devout  of  burdening  Hebrew  school, 
Proud  to  fulfil  each  time-exalted  rule, 
How  broke  the  illusion  of  thy  swelling  wrath 
On  that  meek  front  of  calm,  enduring  faith ! 

34 


paui  •  .  . 


What  large  atonement  that  great  conscience 

pays! 
For  every  wounding  slight,  a  psalm  of  praise ; 
Unending  worship  shall  the  debt  consume, 
For  hours  of  rage,  a  life  of  martyrdom. 


Yet  in  such  morning  glow,  such  vital  day, 
What  chilling  sense  of  claim  or  debt  can  stay? 
O  wondrous  power  of  noble  love,  to  free 
From  binding  Law  to  glorious  Liberty ! 

35 


paul  .  .  . 

Dream  not  that  one  hath  drained  the  exhaust- 
less  sea; 
Full  pours  the  tide  in  widening  stream  for  thee ; 
Lift  for  new  liberties  that  conquering  sign ; 
Shatter  the  severing  walls  with  touch  divine. 


36 


(IHounfain  |&on£ 


[From  the   German  of  Uhland.     This  is  a  very  free  translation,  yet  I  trust 
not  without  some  portion  of  the  enthusiastic  spirit  of  the  original.] 


"LJA  !  the  shepherd's  mount  on  high ! 

Castles  lie  scattered  beneath  my  eye, 
Here  the  sun's  earliest  beam  is  bright  — 
Here  lingers  last  the  grey  twilight  — 
Hurra !  with  me,  the  mountain  boy  ! 


Here  springs  the  stream  from  its  mountain 

home, 
My  arms  I  plunge  in  its  bursting  foam, 
And  drink  as  I  catch  the  fresh  bright  spray 


37 


tEfye  Sfyepfyerb's  ITcountain  Song 

As  it  leaps  the  smooth  rock  in  its  dancing 

way, 
Hurra !  the  stream  of  the  mountain  boy ! 

My  father's  mount  —  around  thy  head, 
Speeds  wildly  ever  the  storm  winds  dread, 
From  the  North  and  South,  with  loud,  shrill 

yell,  . 
But  louder  and  shriller  shall  o'er  them  swell, 
Hurra!  the  song  of  the  mountain  boy! 


For  here  from  the  calm  blue  sky  I  call 

To  the  flash  and  the  peal  of  their  cloudy  wall ; 

38 


Cfye  Sfyepfyer&'s  UTountatn  Song 

"  I  know  ye  will,  and  I  fear  ye  not ! 
Leave  ye  in  peace  my  father's  cot !  " 
Hurra!  in  the  storm  the  mountain  boy! 

And  when  the  war  bell  calls  our  bands, 
And  flare  from  the  hilltops  a  thousand  brands! 
Then  gaily  descending,  the  ranks  among, 
I'll  swing  my  glaive,  and  sing  my  song, 
Hurra!  the  song  of  the  mountain  boy ! 

September,  1842. 

39 


(tttusic  at  ^x&ntfovt 
on  tfyt  (Wtain  .... 


"T^HE  blue  lonely  River  is  passing  ever- 

And  the  green  trees  silently  stand 
With  the  yellow  harvest  fields — and  over 
The  woods  and  far  hills  of  the  land 
Is  holy  peace  —  and  the  reapers  band 
Cease  the  toil  of  evening  —  never  — 
To  bid  it  farewell  —  the  lonely  River 
The  still  brave  passing  River 
The  lonely  River. 


40 


ZTTuste  at  ^rankfort  on  tfye  Zttaxn 


And  yet  there's  a  melody  rising  and  falling 
To  suit  the  life  of  the  solemn  scene 
From  the  passing  Rivers  heart  'tis  calling 
And  the  heart  knoweth  what  those  tones  mean, 
To  the  far  life  fountain  now  softly  leading, 
And  forth  amidst  bright  summer  spreading 
Now  through  a  sad  sweet  farewell  gliding 
And  thus  it  must  ever  be  — 


41 


HTustc  at  ^rankfort  on  t£?e  IHain 


Deep  mysterious  voices  gather  now 
And  with  the  lingering  River  flow 

Down  to  eternity. 
Spirit,  thou  joinest  the  solemn  motion 
And  passest  away  in  still  devotion 
In  music  all  things  pass  from  thee  — 
A  still  blue  River  thou  lingerest  by 

In  the  sunset  —  solemly  — 


42 


ZHusic  at  ^rankfort  on  tlje  ZTTatn 

Down  among  the  heavy  rocks 

With  a  heavier  roar 
Sullen,  strong,  the  fearless  stream 

Moves  on,  ever  more  — 

Flower  banks  and  butterflies 

Here  in  sunlight  play, 
There  the  rugged,  woody  steeps 

Yet  it  will  not  stay — 

43 


ITtustc  at  ^rankfort  on  tfye  ZTtain 

Far  away  the  mountains  rise 
Cloud-capped  —  resting  ever  — 

And  the  torrent,  mid  the  rocks 
Speeds  on,  fainting  never. 

Down  among  the  heavy  rocks 

Must  our  life  be  spent, 
But  the  far  hills  shall  be  reached, 
Slow  the  rocks  be  rent. 

Switzerland,  1844. 
44 


3n  t§t  gimfeg 

BEHIND    these   far-stretched    ramparts  of 
drear  sand, 
Slow-lifted  by  the  Ocean's  secular  toil, 
Laying  with  patient  care  restraining  hand 
On  his  own  might,  to  cease  from  human  spoil, 
Nestle  the  hamlets  of  a  dear-bought  land. 
By  booming  billows  lashed,  these  lines  of  power 
In  steadfast  quiet  face  the  stormy  shore, 
Colossal  shapes  unmoved  by  Northern  gust 
Ever  the  friendly  Titans  whisper  trust. 
Bare  death  around  us,  living  homes  below, 
Beyond,  the  rounding  deep  of  Sea,  or  Heaven, 
The  sympathy  of  Nature's  heart  to  know — 
Rest  for  the  spirit  in  her  laws  is  given. 

November,  f8/8. 
45 


t§t  Coming  qjfeffo 

[Written  at  Cambridge,   Sunday  eve,  January  6th,   1839,  on  hearing  the  bells 
chiming  from  the  neighboring  city.] 

T-lOW  sweet  upon  the  evening  breeze, 
That  solemn  music  floats  along ! 
As  if  an  angel  tuned  his  harp, 

And  heavenly  voices  raised  the  song. 

Now  clear  and  full,  they  sweep  along ; 

And  now  so  softly  die  away, 
Yet  would  we  still  those  notes  prolong, 

And  bid  those  whispering  voices  stay. 

46 


£t?e  Chiming  Bells 

Night's  sable  mantle  round  her  thrown, 
Fair  nature  lies  in  peaceful  sleep ; 

Like  guardian  angels  bending  down, 
The  stars  their  silent  vigils  keep. 


Chime  on,  chime  on,  ye  vesper  bells ! 

My  listening  ears  ye  cannot  tire  — 
For  every  note  that  onward  swells, 

I  hail,  as  from  a  sacred  lyre. 

47 


tlfye  (Earning  Bells 

Chime  on,  chime  on,  and  as  ye  raise 
Your  vesper  anthem  to  the  skies, 

So  let  our  evening  prayers  and  praise, 
To  heaven,  like  grateful  incense,  rise. 


48 


€§t  ^on$  of  tfyt 

C|PIRITS,  ye've  gathered  around  the  west, 
With  your  swelling  robes  hung  out, 

Ye  have  spread  their  folds,  and   opened  your 
breast, 

For  your  Lord  of  Fire,  and  in  cradled  rest, 

Ye  are  bearing  him  down  to  his  evening  nest 

As  with  laughter  and  merry  shout. 


Ye  have  come  from  far — for  I've  watched  you 
sail, 

On  your  track  of  unspotted  blue  — 
49 


tEfye  Song  of  tfye  <£r>ening  Cloubs 

And  I  thought  he  had  summoned  you  all,  by 

the  gale 
As  with  fearful  footsteps,  ye  glided  up  pale, 
Till  pouring  bright  colors  he  bade  you  hail, 
And  sing  to  the  world  his  adieu. 


"Good   night — good   night — is  there  one  on 
earth 

Can  rest  in  so  proud  a  pile  ? 
See — these  lovely  daughters  of  dewy  mirth, 
Brought  by  my  day's  long  toil  into  birth 
Have  spread  their  vestments,  a  golden  girth 

To  rock  me  to  sleep  the  while"  — 

50 


Cfye  Song  of  tfye  (£t>ening  (£Ioubs 

"Farewell — farewell — the  lesson  receive — 
If  a  sunset  like  mine  you  would  find  — 

For  when  toil  bears  heavy,  and  sorrows  grieve, 

Up  —  up  —  and  press  onward  —  that  these  may 
give, 

Bright  spirits  to  bless  your  age,  and  leave 
No  stains  on  the  blue  behind"  — 

"  Like  me  you  shall  spend  your  closing  hours, 

On  a  pillow  unworn  by  toil, 
No  cares  shall  intrude  in  your  haunted  bowers, 
But  memory's  spirits  float  round  with  flowers 
And  hold  sweet  converse  of  bygone  showers 

They  have  dropped  upon  thirsty  soil." 

5« 


Cfye  Song  of  tfye  (gpentng  Cloubs 

"  They  are  clad  in  rich  vestures  of  unsullied  dye 

Oh  !  richer  by  far  than  gold  ! 
As  the  beams  of  thy  love  all  joyfully 
Have  called  them  up  from  along  thy  way, 
And  clad  them  in  robes  of  purity, 

Oh  !  richer  by  far  than  gold  !  " 

"  For  gold  is  a  silent  and  selfish  thing, 

But  these  have  their  voices  for  aye, 
They  will  whisper — 'for  heaven — plume  thy 
wing' 

Sweet    censers    from    gratitude's   altar  they'll 
bring, 

Sweet  songs  in  melodious  cadence  they'll  sing 

Oh !  is  it  not  bliss  so  to  die  !  " 

52 


Cfye  Song  of  ttje  (Evening  Cloubs 

They  ceased  —  and  their  chorus  had  died  away, 

But  I  turned  not  back, — for  still, 
His  parting  rays  yet  lingered  to  play 
Round  the  West — and  the  spirits  yet  seemed 

to  say 
"  The  fame  of  the  righteous  dies  not  with  his 
day 
' Tis  a  city  that's  built  on  a  hill." 

July,  1840. 


53 


(Rutohiocpc&yfyy 


SAMUEL  JOHNSON,  an  American  writer  of  essays 
and  discourses  on  religious,  moral,  political,  and  aesthetic 
subjects,  and  author  of  an  extended  work  on  Oriental 
Civilizations  in  their  relation  to  Universal  Religion. 

He  was  born  at  Salem,  Mass.,  in  1822,  and 
graduated  at  the  Harvard  Theological  School 
in   1846. 

In  1853  he  established  at  Lynn,  Mass.,  an 
Independent  Religious  Society  without  de- 
nominational connexions  of  any  kind,  devoted 

55 


to  free  thought  and  human  progress,  of  which 
he  continued  to  be  the  preacher  until  1870. 
During  the  whole  anti-slavery  conflict  he  was  an 
active  advocate  of  immediate  and  unconditional 
emancipation,  and  his  numerous  contributions 
to  religious  literature  have  been  of  a  thoroughly 
rationalistic  and  radically  constructive  char- 
acter. As  a  pure  Theist,  or  more  properly 
spiritual  Pantheist,  he  has  been  outside  of  all 
ecclesiastical  organizations,  and  does  not  allow 
himself  to  be  numbered  among  the  disciples  of 
any  special  positive  religion.  He  has  sought 
to  do  impartial  justice  to  all  historical  faiths  by 
distinguishing  their  universal  and  permanent 
substance  from  their  personal  and  transient 
forms,  and  to  find  the  enduring  basis  for  relig- 

56 


ious  belief  and  communion  in  the  natural  and 
familiar  laws,  which  govern  the  evolution  of 
humanity, 

Mr.  Johnson's  work  on  Oriental  Religions, 
two  large  volumes  of  which,  on  India  and 
China,  have  already  appeared,  and  a  third, 
on  Iranian  Religions,  is  now  in  progress,  is 
written  from  a  non-christian  and  purely  human- 
istic point  of  view,  to  indicate  the  psychological 
functions  of  each  of  the  great  fragmentary 
Religions  of  the  past  and  their  germinal  con- 
nexions with  that  more  comprehensive  religion 
of  the  future,  to  which  science  and  humanity 
point  the  new  way.  It  aims  not  only  to  vindi- 
cate in  detail  the  universality  of  religious  ideas, 
the    sympathies    of    races,   and    the    unity   of 


57 


ethical  and  spiritual  evolution,  but  also  to  base 
their  elements  on  the  laws  of  man's  spiritual 
nature  in  place  of  the  personal,  local  and  other- 
wise exclusive  claims  of  positive  religions. 
Mr.  Johnson's  philosophy  is  transcendental, 
and  his  science,  and  he  regards  the  construction 
of  these  as  the  main  characteristic  of  his 
thought,  evolutionary.  Two  compilations,  a 
Book  of  Hymns  (1846)  and  Hymns  of  the 
Spirit  (1864)  made  in  connexion  with  his  friend 
Samuel  Longfellow,  indicate  the  growth  of 
similar  tendencies.  And  in  the  same  spirit 
the  Origin  of  Christianity  is  treated  in  a  little 
work  called  the  Worship  of  Jesus  in  Past  and 
Present  aspects  (1868)  in  which  he  declines  to 
regard   Civilization  as  the  synonym  of  Chris- 

58 


tianity  or  even  as  its  outgrowth,  and  seeks  to 
account  for  the  ascriptions  of  divinity  to  Jesus 
by  simply  natural  causes,  as  a  personal  idealiza- 
tion, growing  out  of  conditions,  in  the  demands 
of  his  age,  which  have  continued  in  force  to 
the  present  time,  when  a  different  form  of  the 
ideal  must  support  it. 
1880. 


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